And so it starts, Maeve

[1st 5er]

... read the following thread and links from the e30 crowd. Lots of good info on updating speakers which apply directly to an e28 as well. The “Luke box” can be cobbled together as a do it yourself project, but the biggest gain I experienced was tuning my amplifier to where I could play my system louder than needed, but without distortion. I basically had no car stereo experience, but following the step by step system build completely surprised me with the detailed high fidelity sound. Crazy good, and not hard to do on your own.

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/ ... ds-of-pics
https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/ ... the-basics

This will come in handy.

[gwb72tii]

Here is a project I will do as well, the DIY Luke Box.
The amazing (at least to me) result of installing this box is the huge, controlled bass without the car thumping all over the street. The guy sitting next to you in their car at a stop light won't be able to tell you're rocking out, all of the sonic energy of the sub is firing directly into your car.

https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/forum/ ... ebox-build

[Blue Shadow]

That box would have made it possible for me to put the sub I picked up the other day to fit in the trunk. The subs in the trunk are in 1cuft sections of a big box that takes up the area under the rear deck. Sub would have slid in far enough to not hit the tool kit without that box in the car. But the sub brings so much to the sound and I rarely need the room. Sub (for home use) fit fine in the front seat for the ride home. Now to finish cleaning and getting it ready and I'll have stereo subs in the main rig, too.

[gwb72tii]

one word of caution to anyone reading the e30 Luke box threads, the guy that started the thread was trying to run a small business without any business skill. as you read on into the later parts of the threads you'll see him coming apart and customers getting mad.
what he recommends however is absolutely spot on. he knows his stuff sonically, he just was not someone to run the business.

Also part of his advice was to repurpose the existing speaker wires in an e30. It worked in my e30, but I'm not sure if an e28 is wired the same way. Expensive speaker wire is one of hifi and car audio's biggest scams. the wire BMW used, at least in an e30, was high quality single strand copper wire. Spending additional money to replace what the manufacturer had already installed was waste. I'm pretty excited about being able to work on Maeve again.

[gwb72tii]

I am officially back! My right arm is at about 50% after surgery and, for now, 6 weeks of physical therapy. But going in the right direction.

So something I've wanted to do is to re-assemble and then mount the rear spoiler. I disassembled the spoiler for painting, the top insert Zinno and the rubber part black. Amazing that the rubber part is still flexible after 34 years, and most of that in Arizona.


I love my local Ace hardware for their selection of metric fasteners, but their selection does not include M5 hex head screws, only going down to M6. The M5 screws attach the Zinno insert to the rubber part. And as long as I was ordering them from BMW, I ordered the remaining fasteners as well. The confusing part is the black washer BMW calls a clamp which is supposed to go between the rubber backed nut and the underside of the trunk lid. I'd appreciate any advice if you've gone through this before and used the "clamp" washers. I also used blue Loctite on the M5 screws for insurance.




3M adhesives are amazing IMHO. Their double sided tape that you see on the back side of the Zinno insert with its red backing gets stronger the longer you leave it on. I used this tape before on a flared 2002 to hold on various trim pieces it is super strong. 3M even provides a guitar pick tool to evenly press down on the tape when you install it.



The hard part was centering the Zinno insert on the rubber part so the right and left edge gaps were the same before the tape adheres to it.



Hopefully tomorrow is spoiler install on the trunk lid, and front valance install

[Mdreamer]

Welcome back! The spoiler rehab looks fantastic.

[Panici]

Glad you're on the mend.

Have you found anything to keep the foam/rubber part of the spoiler in good shape?
Mine is cracking and I'm sure will get worse over time.

[gwb72tii]

Glad you're on the mend.

Have you found anything to keep the foam/rubber part of the spoiler in good shape?
Mine is cracking and I'm sure will get worse over time.

No, I didn’t need to. Mine is still flexible and not cracked or dried out. I did paint it with SEM black trim paint to refresh the looks of it.

[Ordnator]

Glad you're on the mend.

Have you found anything to keep the foam/rubber part of the spoiler in good shape?
Mine is cracking and I'm sure will get worse over time.

Hi Panici,

I have been using Autoglym "Bumper and Trim Gel" on all of my external & internal rubber, door seals, window seals, trunk seal, hood seal, hoses, dash, shadow line trim, front grills, rear spoiler rubber, mud flaps, hood grills for the last 10 years and very happy with how it appears to feed and protect.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/shop ... A&usqp=CAc

Just my Can$0.02.

Best regards,

Mick

[garageboy]

Würth Rubber Care or gummi pflege?

https://www.wurthusa.com/Chemical-Produ ... 8857000012

https://www.amazon.com/Sonax-03401000-R ... B01GS3EIIC

[Galahad]

Würth Rubber Care or gummi pflege?

https://www.wurthusa.com/Chemical-Produ ... 8857000012

https://www.amazon.com/Sonax-03401000-R ... B01GS3EIIC

My neighbor (has an e46 and a z4m) swears by gummy pflege and it appears to work, based on his cars.

[Blue Shadow]

I am officially back! My right arm is at about 50% after surgery and, for now, 6 weeks of physical therapy. But going in the right direction.

The confusing part is the black washer BMW calls a clamp which is supposed to go between the rubber backed nut and the underside of the trunk lid. I'd appreciate any advice if you've gone through this before and used the "clamp" washers.

Hopefully tomorrow is spoiler install on the trunk lid, and front valance install

Good news getting back at it. Hopefully you will be closer to 100% soon enough.

viewtopic.php?t=80556 has the installation of M-Tech parts

But then you said you were installing the spoiler on new years so hope this isn't too late and that it helps.

[Panici]

Gummi pflege?

https://www.amazon.com/Sonax-03401000-R ... B01GS3EIIC

Have not tried this out before, just ordered a bottle and will give it a shot. Thank you.

[John in VA]

Glycerine from the big box or drug store does a great job on rubber seals.

[gwb72tii]

I am officially back! My right arm is at about 50% after surgery and, for now, 6 weeks of physical therapy. But going in the right direction.

The confusing part is the black washer BMW calls a clamp which is supposed to go between the rubber backed nut and the underside of the trunk lid. I'd appreciate any advice if you've gone through this before and used the "clamp" washers.

Hopefully tomorrow is spoiler install on the trunk lid, and front valance install

Good news getting back at it. Hopefully you will be closer to 100% soon enough.

viewtopic.php?t=80556 has the installation of M-Tech parts

But then you said you were installing the spoiler on new years so hope this isn't too late and that it helps.

Thanks Blue man

[gwb72tii]

So onto cleaning various pieces before attempting to restore to as close to OEM color as possible.
Here are before/after pics of the hat shelf behind the rear seat. I vacuumed, spot shot stain remover, and then used a portable Bissell to clean it. It's faded from AZ sun, but areas that were always covered show the original color.





ugh this is what came out of it

[Mike W.]

The amazing (at least to me) result of installing this box is the huge, controlled bass without the car thumping all over the street.

But, but, but... perhaps not for you, but for most of those who run big thumping stereos, letting everyone know you have a big thumping stereo is the whole purpose. Listening to it is irrelevant.

[Blue Shadow]

But, but, but... perhaps not for you, but for most of those who run big thumping stereos, letting everyone know you have a big thumping stereo is the whole purpose. Listening to it is irrelevant.

No, that's the folks after the baby boomers. The Gen-X and later are most concerned with the ability to let those outside the vehicle know how bad the driver's taste in music really is.

My thumping and bumping subs are for occupant's enjoyment mostly, back massages in the rear seats. Those outside the vehicle don't hear much until I open the windows.

[gwb72tii]

But, but, but... perhaps not for you, but for most of those who run big thumping stereos, letting everyone know you have a big thumping stereo is the whole purpose. Listening to it is irrelevant.

No, that's the folks after the baby boomers. The Gen-X and later are most concerned with the ability to let those outside the vehicle know how bad the driver's taste in music really is.

My thumping and bumping subs are for occupant's enjoyment mostly, back massages in the rear seats. Those outside the vehicle don't hear much until I open the windows.

curious, do you have a pass through from the trunk thru the center armrest? was used for skis I believe, at least in e30's. that's where we'd position the sub to fire through, but my car has no passthrough and I'm reluctant to start sawing a BF hole.

[Blue Shadow]

curious,

I have a hole cut in the rear firewall for the dual 10" to fire through. The box is bolted to the firewall and has two chambers, one for each driver.

[Mdreamer]

[/quote]

I have a hole cut in the rear firewall for the dual 10" to fire through. The box is bolted to the firewall.
[/quote]

Two 10s must knock! Did you ever choose another set up before landing on this one? Would one 10 (or 12) be sufficient based on your experience? How many watts are you using to push both woofers?

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread--these are my only questions, I promise!

[Blue Shadow]

http://bimmerboard.com/members/kff/orig ... 0place.jpg

I just went with the woofers the store I used to work at when it was only home stereo recommended back in 1988. That is an older pic. I've got some changes scheduled. Probably check the amps which are 4x40 for the ADS 300i plates and ADS 320i front speakers and 2x80 for the subs. I have an amp to go in that will allow the ADS to do just the top end and the Alpine will do the subs. I don't need it louder as it rocks as it is and will keep up with my home rig which has 200 wpc plus 150w on each sub in that system.

[Mdreamer]

That is impressive, Blue Shadow! Thanks for the explanation.

[gwb72tii]

To repeat an older post, where am I? Cindy and I travel. We were here for the first couple weeks of January.
Triple brownie points for this one, and you need to be specific:

[Blue Shadow]

Pearl Resorts Bora Bora